England need only to draw the series. Australia are going to have to take more risks in order to win outright, especially if England can win or draw the first Test. Winning the Ashes back was no fluke - England have been beating the top teams for the past three to four years. But in Australia it's easier for them to say they are going to get thrashed. I don't think that's true; I'm expecting it to be extremely tight. If England lose the first Test, as they did last year, the conditions will not be as helpful as at home in helping them come back and win the series - but it's still not impossible.

The relentless pressure of the Ashes is what defines the series. Grounds are going to be full to the brim, every shot the teams play or ball bowled will be dissected on television and, because it is Australia, there will be no respite off the pitch. Whoever copes with it best will win and I expect England to do so.

There has been a lot of talk about the bowlers on both sides but I think Ricky Ponting is going to be a key man. Last time he got a lot of stick for poor captaincy under pressure. He seemed to be trying to second guess all possible outcomes and his leadership was pedestrian at best. He needs to get his team behind him, because last time he was undermined by Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist when they disagreed with his decisions. This is an area England can exploit by putting him under pressure early on, making a joke of a couple of decisions to see how he responds. But, on the other hand, he is the No1 ranked batsman in the world and is one of the best I've ever seen.

I don't believe that the age of the Australians will be a major factor, though. Batsmen start to lose sharpness past 30 and bowlers aren't able to maintain their speed and consistency but that would only be an issue if the series is in the balance on the fourth and fifth days of the last two Tests.

England have steadily improved in the warm-up games and it augurs well for Brisbane. The main concern would be how much of a part Andrew Flintoff will be able to play with the ball and we still don't know the answer to that. He was a major factor in England's success last time but he has only done the bare minimum so far on the tour and it's the same with Steve Harmison. But I think England have kept their powder dry to some extent.

No

Terry Jenner Shane Warne's coach played in nine Tests for Australia

For the past 10 years Ashes series have always been about hanging on to the urn for Australia, and the burden of expectation to do so. This time they are the hunter, not the hunted. England are the holders and that means the tables have turned and they are under that extra pressure instead.

Australia's selectors have never been afraid to tell players when they have reached their sell-by date and there won't be any added pressure in that respect. Look at Damien Martyn. He lost his place after the Ashes were lost but responded by fighting his way back into the Test side and since he's been back has played like a champion. And talk about the age of the squad at your peril. The older players are not planning an Ashes swansong, almost all of them will be looking to next year's World Cup.

I would question those who are saying it will be 2-1 to either England or Australia. The only way I can see that happening is if it rains. When did a Test here last run to five days as they did in England last time? There's a feeling that Australia will dominate from the start. Steve Harmison might surprise everyone and bowl out of his skin at The Gabba. But if Australia fell to, say, 50 for four, I would expect them to come back from that. If it happened to England it could be debilitating. Harmison is such a key player that if he bowls badly in Brisbane the pressure will be intense.

I was at a function the other night with the former England Test players Alan Lamb and Graham Thorpe and we sat around discussing this. I asked them: "Tell me which grounds you think England will win on?" I just don't think there is a single one on which you can say, "Oh, they're bound to win here". However Australia would be expected to win at Sydney, where they will play two spinners, and the same in Adelaide. And if it comes down to a battle of spin to decide the Ashes then I'm afraid Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill will always come out on top over Monty Panesar and Ashley Giles.

England haven't really had time to adapt to the extra pace and bounce of the pitches. Ian Bell, for example, played beautifully in Adelaide but it's going to be a different cup of tea in Brisbane. You're going to see more short-pitched deliveries. Getting the likes of Kevin Pietersen out by tempting them into ill-advised hook shots will be part of the Australians' plans.